USC head water polo coach Jovan Vavic said on the school's website: "Jon was a great Trojan, and an outstanding young man from a wonderful family. He and his family were loved by all of us on the USC water polo team. I am deeply saddened, and I speak for our team in saying that this is a terrible loss of a friend and teammate. Our prayers go out to Jon's family in hopes that they find comfort."

As a first-year freshman two-meter man, Walters was a key contributor on USC's 2013 NCAA championship men's water polo team that won a sixth consecutive NCAA title in December. He scored 17 goals on the year, including two in the NCAA semifinal game and another two in the MPSF championship game, despite missing the middle part of the season with an elbow injury.